Mar. 5, 2014

Jessica Honish, left, of Rainbow House / File/Submitted

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An aging computer lab at Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services in Marinette got a much-needed makeover thanks to a $5,000 donation from AT&T.

The lab, dedicated late last month, includes a quartet of new computers and equipment aimed at helping clients and family members of Rainbow House. It’s also open to outreach clients who are residing at a safe location other than the shelter.

“We started with two donated computers ... and they were slow, and cutting out on the printer, but we made due with what we had,” said Jessica Honish, lead advocate at Rainbow House. “We were able to purchase four brand new computers, keyboards, an amazing new printer, and some security software.

The path to the funding from the The AT&T Wisconsin Innovation & Investment Award program started with a trip to Madison and a meeting with State Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette.

“He listened and had a connection with AT&T and ran into one of the representatives from AT&T who asked ‘Do you have any organizations or agencies that are looking for funding?’ And he said ‘I sure do,’” Honish said. “He put a little plug out for our agency.”

AT&T contacted Rainbow House, which applied for the funding to update the shelter’s computer lab, unveiled late last month. The room is known as the AT&T Computer Lab.

AT&T said it provides funding to organizations giving back to the community and making a positive difference. From 2011 to 2012, that was $2 million of support in Wisconsin, according to the company.

“AT&T is proud to support the Rainbow House with a $5,000 donation that has helped them upgrade their computer lab so domestic abuse victims can further their educational, financial, legal or medical needs,” the company said in an emailed statement. “The Rainbow House is a wonderful organization that is not only working to keep domestic abuse survivors safe, but is also helping victims with professional and educational development.”

Rainbow House serves men and women in Marinette and Oconto counties. Rainbow House served 441 new clients last year.

“Anyone who is staying at the shelter, or anyone we’re working with as an outreach client, they can come in and apply for jobs, do housing applications online, apply... for the potential to get free attorneys, and schedule medical appointments online,” Honish said. “All those things that are sometimes hard for them to do in public or with their work shifts or their kid’s school hours.”

The lab also features a computer with learning games for children, she said. The donation covered the entire cost of the project.

“We’re really excited we have some fast-working computers the women and men can access here,” Honish said. “We have amazing community support, but to have AT&T recognize our little agency, it was like ‘This is incredible.’”